St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-04
WORKED LIKE A CHARM.
A Car Wrecked to Test the Young
Car Heater.

Despite the terrible snow storm which
ragged yesterday morning large num-
Der of prominent men assembled at the
$500" depot at 10 o'clock to go on the
trip on which the patent car heater and
lamp and stove extinguisher, written
up at some length in the GLOBE few
weeks ago, was to be given violent
and final test. The company which
boarded the train and witnessed the test
consisted of Gov. A. r. McGill, Private
Secretary j. K. Moore, eX-GOv. Austin,
chairman of the railway commission;
Gen. Becker, of the railway commission:
A. II. Wilder, st. Paul; w. f. Moody,
of the water department: Col. J. w.
Heman, eX-Superintendent of the water
department; President Winter, of the
Omaha road; Master Car Build
er Preston, of the Omaha
road: General Superintendent Egan, of
the Manitoba: Gen. Alex Hughes, eX-
attorney general of Dakota; w. L.
Small, superintendent of motive power
of the Northern Pacific; Supt. Case, of
the Milwaukee road: General Manager
cific road: Supt. Wilson, of the st. Louis
road; Supt. Pennington, of the Mime
apoliS & Pacific road; Supt. Reid, of
the Manitoba; Master Car Builder
Oakley. of the Manitoba road; Master
Car Builder Small, of the Northern Pa
cific: Gen. Supt. Scott, of the Omaha;
Gen. Supt. Mellen, of the Wisconsin
Central; Supt. Ii. w. Hamilton, of the
500" Engineer Pinney, of the fire de-
partment; J. ii. Harper. of Washing
ton; Attorney Woodward, of st. Paul,
and George Speer and w. +. Hartford.
The special train consisted of two regu-
lar coaches and a covered fiat car, con-
tanning the stove, all fitted up, and
about dozen kerosene lamps burning
brightly. The car was made into reg
ular freight car by building up sides
and putting on roof of light timber.
The train was pulled up the track about
six miles and stopped by the side of a
big ditch. Here the track was torn up,
the stoves and the lamps in the car
lighted and the car taken up the track a
long distance. The party assembled on
a little hill at one side. where the test
could be seen to a good advantage. The
engine which was pulling the train now
started down the tOrn-up track, pushing
the car containing the stove ahead of it.
When some 200 feet from the place the
engine slowed up and let the single car
go on alone. When it left the
rails and struck the ties the car
was going about twenty-five miles an
hour. When the first jar came those
who were looking in the door, saw the
ball drop, and the fire in the stove and
lamps went out like flash. Then fol-
lowed grand sight. The huge car left
the ties and plunged over the embank-
ment, sending up shower of snow and
sand. When it struck the bottom the
covering was broken into thousands of
pieces, but no flames followed. The
floor had been covered with oil, paper
and shavings, and had there been the
least fire of any kind it surely
would have showed itself. The
party descended to the wreck, and
after a few minutes search found
the fuel tanks and feed pipes, full of
gasoline, but not one drop had been
spilled, thanks to the safety valves.
Every member of the party was well
pleased with the test. as it showed con-
cluSively that the instant the car re-
ceived a heavy shock of any kind the
fire and the lamps would be put out, land
the air brakes would be set. Mr.. Steele
and Mr.. Young, the owners of the in
vention, felt satisfied with the test and
accepted congratulations of all present
gracefully. Anderson Il Palmer, the
photographers, were present and sue
ceeded in obtaining instantaneous views
of the car as it left the track. and again
as it lay wrecked in the ditch.